Paloma
by CarsmeCarlislexEsme
Summary: After the traumatic birth of his second child, Gomez Addams muses on what it truly means to be a father, a family leader, but most importantly, how much he loves his baby daughter.


A/N: Set in the Universe of the 1960s Television Show.

Hospitals. They always seemed to be dark and gloomy places. However, they just weren't the right type of dismal. Gomez Addams sighed as he paced the hallway outside his wife's door for what felt like the hundredth time. He removed the unlit cigar from his mouth, rolled his eyes, and placed it back in the breast pocket of his shirt. With this being such a stressful place, he was shocked that smoking, of any kind, was "strictly prohibited." When coming upon the adjacent hallway, Gomez stopped, crooning his neck to see any sign of their nurse. It was hopeless, this place seemed like a ghost town and he and his wife couldn't even enjoy it. Gomez rubbed his hands together. It wasn't supposed to happen this way.

The day had begun just like any other. Gomez woke to the beautiful sight of his wife, still sleeping soundly next to him. Morticia, under normal circumstances, was usually a very light sleeper. She was always up before he was, and Gomez often wondered if she ever slept at all. The only time she ever slept soundly was when she was carrying their child. Being a vessel of life was exhausting, and even more so with this second pregnancy, since she had little Pugsley to chase after. Gomez tried his hardest to take most of the parenting duties, yet his son often only wanted his mother. He couldn't blame the boy, Pugsley did have the most wonderful mother in the world. Equal only to Gomez's own Mamma. Addams men always had great admiration and love for their mothers and his son was simply following suit.

Gomez smiled, brushing a soft tendril of hair behind Morticia's ear. She didn't even stir, his utterly exhausted, Cara Mia. He kissed he forehead before leaving the room to wake his son. Upon opening Pugsley's door, he found the boy upright in his new toddler bed. He looked up from the cars he was smashing together, to reach for Gomez

"Father, trains?" Pugsley asked, eyes wide in anticipation.

"Of course, my boy!" Gomez swung him eagerly into his arms, "But first breakfast!"

Pugsley smiled and laughed as he held on to his father's neck. For being a boy of three, he was big for his age. Truth be told, Pugsley has always been a large child, weighing almost ten pounds at his birth, and hadn't he stopped growing since. His sizes was only matched by his intelligence. Pugsley was bright, doing things most six and seven year olds couldn't do, thanks to Morticia and Mamma's constant teaching. It was true Gomez's life was truly charmed, a perfect wife, an incredible son, and another on the way. What more could he ask for?

After Lurch prepared a wonderful breakfast for Gomez and Pugsley, the pair partook in their favorite pastime, blowing up trains. Little Pugsley just loved pushing the plunger to blow up the bridge. They were probably spending close to $1,000 dollars in train supplies, but it didn't matter. All Gomez cared about was the smile on his son's face.

"My turn?" Uncle Fester poked his head into the room, just as Gomez was setting up for another explosion.

Pugsley furrowed his brow before offering the toy to his great-uncle. Fester pulled the tot into his lap, so he wouldn't miss any of the action.

"This is the last one, for now," Gomez turned to his son, "I don't was to disturb your mother's sleep too terribly."

"Morticia's still asleep?" Fester twisted his face, "It's almost lunch time. She's getting lazy."

"She's having our baby, Fester. My Morticia can sleep as long as she needs," Gomez began, "We won't be getting much when the little one arrives next month."

"Still," Fester sighed, "I know my niece, and it's not like her to sleep THIS late. You should check on her, Gomez. Pugsley and I can play until you get back."

Gomez shrugged, why not. It was good for Pugsley to spend time with his uncle, and it was even better that he got to spend time with his wife. As Gomez ascended the stairs to their bedroom, Fester's words had weighed heavily on him. This pregnancy had been more difficult than the last one, since the very beginning. At first they were both concerned, but Dr. Mbogo had assured them that it wasn't supposed to be the same. Pregnancies differ even if it's the same woman. And although that was enough to settle Morticia's nerves, Gomez still felt as though something was off. He peered into the bedroom, only to find his wife sitting upright on the edge of their bed.

"Good Morning, Querida!" Gomez slid into the spot next to her, "I hope Pugsley and I didn't wake you."

"Oh no, darling," she mused, "You know the sound of my boys having fun only allows me to be more relaxed. It's this horrible false labor that continues to wake me up at odd hours of the night."

"Cara Mia!" he placed a hand on her tummy, "Are you sure it's false? Should I phone for Dr. Mbogo now? You know it takes him at least a day to get here!"

"No, no, I promise I'm fine. We're fine. I would let you know if I was worried. Remember this happened with Pugsley. And of course my darling, we still have another month," she delicately laid her hand on top of his.

"Are you sure, my sweet?" Gomez furrowed his brow.

"Absolutely," Morticia nuzzled into him, "But it is so reassuring that you care for your baby and me so deeply, bubeleh."

"Tish," he arched his brow, as her sultry lashes fluttered, "You know what that word does to me."

As Gomez began the trail of kisses up Morticia's arm, he had forgotten what he was worried about in the first place. However, now, standing in this hospital he wished he hadn't. It was not fine, they did not have another month, and there certainly wasn't enough time to call Dr. Mbogo. Morticia's false labor had gotten worse throughout the day, and soon it was very clear that this was not false labor at all. The baby was coming and coming far sooner than expected. Gomez did the only thing he could think to do, take his beloved to the local hospital and deliver the baby there. True, this medical staff would pale in comparison to Dr. Mbogo, but certainly they would be able to help his wife and child in any and all ways.

Gomez sighed, having a baby in a hospital was very different than having one at home with your family Witch Doctor. When Pugsley was being born, Gomez never left Morticia's side, holding her hand, helping her through every ounce of pain and the hours of agony. He watched his son take his first breath and held his wife tightly as she cradled their newborn. At this hospital the nurses weren't even going to let him into the delivery room, until Morticia stated that she would rather have the baby in the emergency room lobby, then to have it without Gomez present. Needless to say, they weren't going to argue with the woman in labor. And there was just something unsettling about having so many people in the room when the baby was being born. And hospitals surely lacked the comforts and calmness of home. Perhaps it would have felt more relaxed if the baby wasn't coming early. The doctors tried to keep composure and stay calm, but still their medical coolness seemed to unsettle the couple more.

When it was finally time to bring the newest Addams addition into the world, the room filled with even more people than before. Gomez held his wife's hand firmly as she gripped it tightly. Morticia turned to her husband and for the first time he noticed the fear in her eyes. It wasn't the good fear Gomez was used to. It was honest to goodness, core shaking, fear.

"It will be all be alright, Cara Mia, I promise," He kissed her forehead, not knowing if he was saying it more for her sake of for his own. Morticia sighed and leaned into him. Gomez pulled the heavy black strands of her hair away from her face and tied it in a thick braid.

Within moments the baby was born. Despite what Dr. Mbogo had predicted, she was girl. The first daughter to be born to an Addams in decades. She was very tiny and very blue, not the good kind of blue either. The nurses and doctors immediately whisked her away. And as soon as she entered into their lives she was taken from them and into another area of the hospital. Beside herself, Morticia instructed Gomez to wait outside for the nurse to bring their daughter back. So here he stood waiting so patiently, so diligently, for the littlest woman in his life. But, the nurse still had not come. Gomez glanced at Morticia's door. This was no time for them to be apart.

When he opened the door, Morticia had changed out of that unsightly hospital gown, and into the soft black silk rob he had bought for her. Her hair still back in the braid, with small tendrils falling around her face. She turned to look at him, large crocodile tears were streaming down her cheeks. Gomez, immediately ran to her side and enveloped her in a tight embrace, pulling her body into his chest.

"It's my fault," she whispered almost inaudibly, "I was so sure, but I was wrong."

"Querida, no!" Gomez threw his head back in shock, "Not even Dr. Mbogo could have warned us about this! It's no one's fault my love, but especially it is not your fault."

"Oh, Gomez," Morticia cried, "She's so tiny. And so blue! What if…what if she…"

"What if she what? She's an Addams! She is strong! Everything will be fine, I promise!" he held his beloved tightly.

"Please go find her, bubeleh," she turned to him, eyes pleading.

"Tish…" Gomez tenderly kissed her arm, shoulder, and cheek before he pulled away, "I will, but please Cara Bella, no more tears. It makes my heart ache to think of leaving you here so distraught."

"I will be brave. I promise, I'll try darling," Morticia sighed, slowly releasing his hand as he left for his hallway again.

The moment the door closed behind him, Gomez ran his hand through his neatly kept hair. Mbogo was right, nothing was the same from child to child. Sure, Pugsley made him a father, but until this moment he never felt like he acted quite like one. Sure he had changed diapers, fed his son bottles, and played as many games as the little tike desired, but never before had he been asked to be a father in a time like this. Gomez had to be the one with composure, he had to be strong for his wife, his family, but especially his itty bitty daughter. Never before had he truly had to worry, but that worry gave him strength as he marched down the hall to a crowd of nurses.

"Mr. Addams," one young nurse jumped as he quietly approached, "We were just about to get you, it about your daughter...she…she…"

"She what?" Gomez replied calmly.

"She seems to be breathing much better now, but her coloring is still very pale," another nurse jumped in, as the first lead him to the tiny plastic bassinet.

There wrapped in the most distasteful pink blanket, was the tiniest, sweetest, most utterly perfect little girl Gomez Addams could have ever imagined. Her skin a pale ivory, with a full head of dark black hair, and long wispy lashes. A carbon copy of his Morticia.

"Do you see what we mean Mr. Addams?" the second nurse sighed.

"I do!" Gomez said gleefully, "She has her mother's paler!"

"And she giggled when we pricked her foot?" the first on furrowed her brows in confusion.

"A true Addams!" he gently lifted her out of the cradle, as she nuzzled sleepily into his chest.

"That's…that's normal…?" the young nurse looked horrified.

"I'd be concerned if she didn't," Gomez nodded, rocking the little baby, "May I take her to my wife?"

"Of…of course Mr. Addams," the older of the two, helped him place the baby back in the bassinet and rolled her down the hallway to their room. With a swift knock, Gomez peaked his head in the doorway to see a still worried Morticia sitting up in bed.

"Cara," he whispered, "We have a visitor!"

"Really dear," she turned her head at the sound of his voice, "At this hour?"

He carefully opened the door, as the nurse wheeled the baby over to the side of the bed. The pure joy in Morticia's face appeared as Gomez lifted the baby out of the cradle and into his wife's arms. The little girl stirred blissfully as a tiny hand wrapped around her mother's perfectly polished finger. Gomez sat on the edge of the bed, his arm securely around Morticia's waist.

"Gomez," Morticia sighed breathlessly, "She's absolutely precious."

"Querida, she's all you, down to every last finger and toe," Gomez kissed her shoulder.

The nurse coughed a little as to gain their attention, "There's no need to worry Mrs. Addams, she's perfectly healthy now. She is very small though, just a little over five pounds, and about fifteen inches long."

Gomez chuckled, "She's about half the size of Pugsley, when he was born."

"Oui, Mon Cher," Morticia cooed, "Tres petite."

"Tish…" her husband wiggled his eyebrows, "That's French!"

"Oh, darling, later" she smirked, as a trail of kisses came up her arm, "It is not our day, it our daughter's day."

"Really?" Gomez shrugged with a smile, "I thought it was Wednesday."

"Querido," Morticia gasped, "What a beautiful name. It's just perfect!"

"Wednesday Addams…" he smiled, looking down at the dark haired baby, "You're right, Cara Bella, it's got a great ring to it!

"Welcome to the family Wednesday," her mother caressed her soft cheek with one finger, "You are very special and very much loved."

"More loved than you will ever know," her father added.

That night, despite protest of the hospital staff, Gomez stayed with his girls. He didn't mind sleeping upright in a chair, it was a great way to practice his Zen Yogi meditation. Just as the sun was about to rise, a cry broke the silence of the tiny room, waking Gomez immediately. It was sweet and musical, like a mourning dove, and he knew it was Wednesday. He gently scooped her up, rocking her in the dim light of the moon.

"Hush Wednesday," Gomez spoke softly, "There is nothing to fear, I'm right here! Always here!"

With just a little swaying, Wednesday was calm once more. Her little voice made the sweetest coo before opening her eyes and staring straight into her father's soul. Gomez was shocked to see two tiny brown eyes, so much like his own. A little reminder that although she was almost entirely her mother's daughter, Wednesday was his as well. Emotion consumed Gomez Addams like a wave. He had always sworn that he could never love another girl as much as his beloved Morticia. However, no one had ever told him of a father's love for his daughter.

"Oh, Paloma, you little thief," Gomez pressed his forehead against Wednesday's, "I fear you may have stolen a large part of my heart. But, you may keep it. It was yours from the moment you were born."


End file.
